P: Hi I'm Poppy
O: Hi I'm Oloni
P: And today we're talking about growing pains for girls
P: So, puberty can be a really touch time for girls, both physically and emotionally.
There's a lot going on in your body and it's really difficult to make sense of it sometimes
Oloni, when did you start experiencing puberty and different signs?
O:I just remember I was growing hair in my arm pits and I was just like what the - what
is this?
P: Where's it coming from?
O: Where's it coming from!? I don't understand it. Nobody had spoken to me about my body
changing and me growing hair there, I just though I was a bit weird or that I was a bit
odd, because why was I the only one and if this was a normal thing why wasn't it being
discussed among little girls? But that was the first time I realized my body was changing
and of course from there hair grew in other places as well
P: Mm, getting hair on your legs, under your armpits as you were saying, and in your pubic
area. ANd there's so much pressure especially on girls to make sure they're very clean shaven
- pressure from friends, pressure from the media, and it can be quite hard to decide
what's right for you
O: Most definitely. ANd I've even seen on social media that more women are actually
starting to celebrate, and they're not allowing society to tell them what's beautiful. At
the end of the day it's your body, it's your choice.Buti think it's all down to you feeling
comfortable, so if you wanna shave your legs, because you like them feeling smooth, then
shave your legs. If you can't be arsed and you like it, then it's totally up to you.
There's nothing wrong with it. And don't let anybody tell you different.
P: So, around this time there's a lot of pressure on girls to kind of look perfect, have perfect
skin, and kind of always be ready for kind of selfies and photos with friends and that
kind of thing. Um but that can be so difficult when you're growing, maybe you've got spots
or something like that. What would you say about that?
O: You need to remember that your body is going through sooo many changes. Of course
from a body developing more to our skin going through different types of changes. just understanding
that these things will pass. And not to be too influenced by what we see in the magazines.
You know, Kim Kardashian doesn't even look like Kim Kardashian. Everything that we see
on instaram for example, or whatever we see on the blogs, is not actually fact.And if
you feel like you always have to be instagram ready, you don't.
P: No one is.
O: No one ever is! If you're instagram read you usually have a team of hair and makeup
behind them with someone holding like a light in the background that we don't see. We're
all special and unique in our own way.I think it's just important to have that conversation
when it comes to your body changing because of course, even when you're in secondary school,
you find that everybody's bodies are developing at different speeds. The boys grew and their
voice deepens, and women's bodies were getting curvier and boobs were developing, curves
were you know, just coming from nowhere, and hips were forming, and you would compare yourself
to other women, especially in PE classes for example. You know we look at other women,
why is she got those hips, how do I get, you know a pair of boobs like her
P: Yeah it can be so difficult especially with things like boobs because obviously they
grow at different rates for different people. They can grow at different rates between themselves,
and it can be hard when that's happening and you feel kind of flat chested, you feel like
oh maybe I'm not a woman enough or things like that
O:And I think that's another thing, like women also need to realise that you know, having
boobs doesn't make you more or less of a woman, or having a bigger bum doesn't make you more
or less of a woman, and to understand that our bodies go through so much. And the changes
that happen surprise us as well because when you're 16, what has already happened to your
friend at 13 is what you might be going through when you're 16 or when you're 14, and it can
happen at even 18, so I think it's important to be patient with our growth as well.
P: It can be really difficult with your periods and those kinds of things because everyone
starts at different times. If you're the first person, it can be quite hard. And if everyone's
talking about it as you say, and you don't get it you can feel kind of
O: Left out
P: Like there's something wrong with you
O: Of course, yes. Most definitely. I think it's just important that the conversation
is had with girls and boys, so they understand that you know, our menstrual cycle is natural
and it's a part of us, and we have to deal with periods, and we have to deal with our
breasts changing, and you know, I don't know about you but even when I was growing up I
remember like my boobs were aching when I first started delevoping
P: Yes
O: and you're like OW!
P: And when you're running in PE and you're just like I have not got the right bra for
this
O: Exactly! Or you're on a trampoline and you're like Erg! Don't think I should have
done that... It's hard being a woman! But it's the best!
P:SO if you are worried about something that's going on in your body and you want someone
to talk to, you can always talk to childline. And we've got other videos on our channel
about puberty for boys and trans puberty myths as well.
Thanks so much for coming in Oloni!
O: Thank you for having me!
P: And we'll see you next time.
BYE!